This invention relates to an aircraft theft guard and, more particularly, to a device for securing an aircraft against unauthorized flight and for protecting valuable instrumentation, including radios and navigational equipment, which are mounted in the instrument panel of an aircraft.
It is common practice to park private aircrafts on an airfield between flights and, when not in use, the aircrafts are frequently tied down in a remote location on the field, away from close observation. Such aircrafts are often easily entered and it is extremely difficult to prevent unauthorized flight and theft of the aircraft. Moreover, such aircraft are often equipped with valuable electronic equipment such as radios and navigational equipment, which are easily removed from the instrument panel as needed for repair and replacement. Unfortunately, such equipment is just as easily removed by unauthorized persons and such thefts are becoming an increasing problem when the aircraft may be left unattended, even for a brief period.
An invention in partial solution of this problem is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,366, granted to Michael Marneris on Oct. 9, 1984 for "Protective Device for Instruments Mounted on an Instrument Panel." It shows a cover plate of aluminum or the like which is positioned by dropping a pair of shrouds over the control columns of the aircraft and securing them in place by a locking bar extended across the shrouds. The shrouds may be positioned to cover rods which are carried on locking pins provided on some aircraft to prevent movement of the control column and, hence, undesirable movement of aeronautical control surfaces while the aircraft is parked. However, the positioning shrouds allow considerable movement and bending of the control cover, often enabling sufficient displacement to permit theft of instruments or in any event, damage to the steering column, the instrument panel and the instruments themselves. Moreover, where control column locking pins are not provided on the aircraft, as above described, there is really no provision in the protective device itself for preventing movements of the control columns and movements of the aircraft control surfaces.
Corrado U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,787 granted Oct. 24, 1972 for "Cover Means for Navigational Instruments and Radio Equipment Mounted on Panel of Aircraft" shows a cover for instruments and equipment on the instrument panel, but it is not sufficiently rugged to deter a determined thief, and theft of the aircraft itself was apparently not a principal concern of the patentee.